Improvement in pumps for deep wells



PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN VW'ARREN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PUMPS FOFll DEEP WELLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 42,705, dated May 10,1864.

To all whom Ait may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W'ARREN, of the city of Buffalo, county ofErie, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pumps for Pumping Oil from Deep Wells; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction and .operation of the same, reference being' had to theaccompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, inwhich- Figure I is a vertical longitudinal section of the pump-barreland elevation of the pistonvalves working therein. Fig. II is a verticalsection of one valve-piston, and Fig. III is a cross-section of thesame.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of thefigures.

The nature of this invention consists, rst, in the arrangement and useof two or more valve-pistons within the same tube or pumpbarrel, andconnected and operated by the same pump-rod, one above the other, at anyrequired distance apart, according to the length of the pump-barrel andthe number of pistons, used, for the purpose of overcoming the greathydrostatic pressure on the valvepistons, and which occurs where a veryhigh column of oil or fluid is to be raised, by dividing said columninto sections and distributing the weight and labor equally to eachpiston and valve; second,in so constructin gthe valvevpistons thatthevalve of the upper piston will .close first and the valve of the secondpistonimmediately after, and so on through any number of pistons whichmay be used, whereby the column of oil or uid above the upper pistonwill be raised slightly before the column between the upper and secondpiston begins to move, and so on through the several sections, thuseffectually dividing the column and giving each valve and piston itsproper share of labor to perform; third, in the peculiar constructionot' the valve-piston, whereby its action is rendered more certain andits durabil-v ity much increased.

A represents the tube or pipe forming the pump-barrel, in which thepistons move and b v their action raise the oil or iinid.

B represents a standing or foot valve of common construction, placed atthelower end of the barrel A. The upward movement of the pistons opensthis valve and sucks up a quantity of oil or iiuid into the pump barrel,but at the downward movements of the pistons it closes and prevents thereturn of the oil or fluid from the pump-barrel.

C represents the valve-pistons, (two or more in n umber,) arranged andworking in the pumpbarrel A, one above the other, at any requireddistance apart, they being connected together by the pump-rod D. Thesevalve pistons consist of two parts, an inner hollow cylindrical part,C', closed at the bottom, but open at the top, and an outer annular ringor sleeve, C2, within and through which the part C is free to move for acertain distance, or as far as the shoulders or flanges O3, formed onthe cylindrieal part C above and below the sleeve G2, allow it to. Thesleeve G2 is formed with anges at the top and bottom to receive a bandof leather, O4, which forms a packing which ts tightly to the bore ofthe barrel.

Near its bottom the cylinder C is perforated by a row of holes, G5,which admit the oil or liuid to the interior of the cylinder, and thencethrough the openings C6, at the top of the cylinder,intothepump-barrelabovethepiston.

Screw threads or nuts are tapped into the top and bottom of the cylinderU', into which the pump rod D (made in suitable lengths) screws toconnect the pistons together.

The first part of the downward movement ofthe pump-rod and pistonscauses the cylinder part C to move through the sleeve (which is heldstationary by its friction against the pump barrel and by the resistanceof the oil or fluid below against its lower flange, which projectsslightly over the lower iiange of the cylinder part G) until the upperflange of the cylinder part strikes the top of the sleeve, when theyboth move together. The movement ofthe part C through the sleeve O2uncovers the perforations G5, and so allows the oil or tluid to passthrough the piston as it descends. As the piston rises, the motion ofthe part O through the sleeve is reversed, and the perforations O5 areclosed and the sleeve tightly seated on the projecting liange C3 at thebottom of the part C', before the sleeve begins to rise, and the returnof the oil or iiuid through the piston prevented, so that the columnabove the piston 'is raised and discharged. In the downward movement ofthe pistons the sleeves C2 which form the valves) move or open at thesame time, so as to allow the pistons to eft'ectually.

pass down freely through the oil or iuid; but in their upward movementsthey are made to close at different times, the upper one closing alittle in advance of the second one, and so on downward, by which thecolumn of oil above the first piston is slightly raised, so as toeffectually divide it from the column below it and above the secondpiston, whereby each piston has simply to raise the weight of the columnabove it. This difference in the times of closing of the dierent valvesis effected by simply gradually increasing the distance beV tween theshoulders or -iian ges G3 on cylinder part C ot' the piston, from thetop one downward, while the length of the sleeve G2 remains the same,giving a greater amount of lost motion to each sleeve, from the upperone downward.

The practical utility of this invention may be more clearly shown bycomparison with' the common pump now in use for the same purpose.

Theoil-wclls from which oil has to be pum ped vary in depth from twohundred to one thousand feet. Ihe common pumps consist, simply, of atube or barrel reaching from the surface of the ground to the bottom ot'the well. In the bottom of this tube is placed a standing or foot valvesimilar to that marked B.

The valve-piston, only one of which is used, is of the same generalconstruction as the footvalve and is connected directly to the end ofthe pum prod. l t is packed by a-leat her baud, the same as marked C4.

In a well four hundred feet deep there is a hydrostatic pressure uponthe piston of at least two hundred pounds per square inch. No valve orpiston, be it packed ever so nicely, can work for any length of timeagainst such a pressure without wearing loose. The momint it wears thegreat pressure above will force some ot' the oil past it, so that it isimpossible to obtain a vacuum below the piston, and consequently thepump ceases to work Many wells have been abandoned and declared dry, notbecause there was no oil, but because no valve or piston could be madetight and kept tight under theimmense lpressure to which they aresubjected in attempting to lift so high a column of oil.

In my invention, although no saving of power is eii'ected,the column tobe raised is so' divided and distributed over the several pistons that agreat pressure on any one is avoided, (although the pressurecollectively is the' same,) and consequently they will wear longer andwork eftectually to any depth required.v

In a well four hundred feet deep I should use, say, fourpistons,(moreifnecessary). The hydrostatic pressure on each piston and valve would, inthat case, during their upward stroke be what would be due to a columnone hundred feet high, which would be about fifty pounds persquareinch-a pressure which a well-constructed valve will readily standand last.

Another great advantage of my invention is this: In the common pump,after the piston has made its downstroke and begins on its upstroke ithas to overcome the inertia of the wholecolumn of four hundred feet,which, as shown by experience, causes an immense pressure (much morethan that due simply to the 4height ot the column) to come upon thepump-barrel some distance from its bottom, generally from one-third toone-fourth of its length, which frequently bursts the barrel andoccasions great trouble and expense, whereas inmy invention the inertiaot' the column is overcome gradually, the section above the upper pistonmoving a short distance before the second section begins to move, and soon downward, thus removing the danger of bursting entirely, andrendering it only necessary to make the pump-barrel strong enough toresist the hydrostatic pressure due to the height ot' the column.

I am aware that two valve-pistons have been placed in close connectionin a pumpbarrel and worked by one piston-rod, and therefore I disclaimsuch improvement; but

What I do claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy l. Two ormore valve-pistons operated within the tube orpump-barrel, when soplaced and arranged that in the upstroke the liquid to be raised will bedivided into equal columns, or nearly so, and the hydrostatic pressurethereby' lessened, and so that each valve-piston will be required to doan equal proportion fo the work, substantially as described.

2. Constructing and operating the valvepistons so that .the valve of theupper piston will close rst and the valve of the second pistonimmediately after, and so on through any number of pistons which may beused, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. rlhe construction of the combined valve and piston C, consisting ofthe hollow cylindrical part C', provided with perforations C5 at thebottom, and openings C5 at the top, and sleeve C2,- operating for thepurposes and substantially as set forth.

JOHN WARREN.

Witnesses W. H. FoRBUsH,

B; H. MUEHLE.

